[LLVMdev] Open Source Contributions (was Re: Benchmarks)

[Chris Lattner]

On Wed, 5 May 2004, Vladimir Prus wrote:
> > > There are a couple of problems. First, arch is not portable to Windows.
> > > Are you really sure nobody will port ALVA (or parts of it) to that
> > > platform?
> >
> > Arch was just one example.  :)  I'm not familiar with Alva, what is it
> > (google isn't particularly helpful)?
>
> Actually, that's ALVA is what my spellchecker made from LLVM :-(.

Whoa.  :)

> I meant: if LLVM is ported to Windows, then arch will become a problem.

Excellent point.  Windows compatibility is a must.

> > > Second, local repository is fine, but what if two persons ever decide to
> > > work on the same branch?
> >
> > I believe that arch allows you to do this kind of thing:
> > http://www.gnu.org/software/gnu-arch/tutorial/shared-and-public-archives.ht
> >ml#Shared_and_Public_Archives
>
> Right, but you'd need HTTP/FTP server. Not a problem for *me*, but lots of
> folks are behind firewalls and can't do that.

Sure.  I can't imagine that there is a wonderful solution other than this
though.  In particular, how can you do distributed development without it?
The whole idea is to reduce the need for a completely centralized
development model.  Ideally, the UIUC servers would just be the "official"
tree: lots of development could happen publically in trees that are not on
our servers.  When the development is done, or in a good state, it could
be merged into the official tree, and be released in the standard
releases.

I don't know if there is any ideal tool available today that satisfies
these goals, but it is my personal ideal in a source-control system.
(Assuming that you can revision directories, have atomic commits, and all
of the other things that CVS doesn't ;-)

The only two systems that I'm familiar with that support this kind of
development are Arch (not available under windows?) and Bitkeeper (many
licencing restrictions).  I don't think that subversion supports the
features above, but again, I really have little idea of what I'm talking
about.  :)

-Chris

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